Ajit Singh to meet Sonia to seal tie-up

Amid buzz that he may be made the civil aviation minister in the union cabinet, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Ajit Singh is likely to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi over the weekend to seal a political tie-up for the coming elections in Uttar Pradesh, RLD sources said.

Amid buzz that he may be made the civil aviation minister in the union cabinet, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Ajit Singh is likely to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi over the weekend to seal a political tie-up for the coming elections in Uttar Pradesh, RLD sources said.

As per the proposed deal, the RLD will become a part of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Singh will get a cabinet berth, the sources told IANS.

The RLD will also be allotted 40-50 seats for the state polls. The state has 403 assembly constituencies.

The deal was reached at a meeting between Singh and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Friday, the sources said.

RLD sources said that Singh was expecting a ministry which suits his "seniority and experience". If the deal is finalised, Ajit Singh will be sworn in as a minister this month, the sources added.